Acute calcific tendinitis of the gluteus medius: a case report with serial magnetic resonance imaging findings

A case of calcific tendinitis of the gluteus medius is presented. Calcification was evident in the soft tissue adjacent to the greater trochanter on plain radiographs. On the initial magnetic resonance images (MRI), inflammatory edematous change was detected not only in the gluteus medius but also in the bone marrow of the greater trochanter, corresponding to the painful area. Three months later, calcification disappeared on plain radiographs and the femur showed normal signal intensity on MRI. Initial MRI excluded other diseases including infection and bone tumor, and serial MRI confirmed that the change in extraosseous and intraosseous findings were in accordance with self-limiting clinical symptoms.